Weekly manga roundup

[branchandroot]

Bleach is absolute love this week. I'm fascinated that even the Visored can't maintain their masks for very long and delighted that all the old connections are pulling back together again. (*secretly hopes for some tasty Kensei/Hisagi vibes*)



KHR seems to be doing an odd sort of reversal of how the Ring Battle went. With the rings, they won but had it stolen on, more or less, a technicality, and it was only the Rings' own rejection of Xanxus that saved the day.

Now they have lost, and yet we know that life will go on somehow or other, that there will be some technicality, that Irie probably won't really die, but for that to happen there will have to be some technicality or reversal or, hell, just plain refusal to accept that this decision means anything but "time for a free-for-all, then". Or, just another round, which I kind of suspect is most likely. We shall see.



Monochrome Factor is always hot, but this week... *fans self* Oh my. Even not knowing what they're saying, some things are nice and obvious. And I really do love it that Akira knows Shirogane is a scary bastard, knows he's ruthless and alarmingly powerful, is clearly scared when Shirogane shows that, and still stands up to him. And not exactly in a defiant way, or at least defiance isn't most of what's in there. It's more... Akira's moral compass insists. And I am endlessly entertained that Shirogane 'gives in' and yet never, ever actually lets Akira do something dangerous alone or without protection and, usually, interference.

Comments

[kemis]

God, but isn't this chapter of MF great. This is the real first tiny glimpse we get of Ryuuko and Shirogane's relationship.

But, shallow that I am, I'm still squealing with glee over the sheer amount of different faces Shirogane shows. I honestly think he showed more expressions in this chapter alone than in half the series - and it doesn't escape the notice that it's always Akira/Ryuuko pulling them out of him. Scary!Shirogane! Crying!Shirogane! Resigned!Shirogane! Sullen!Shirogane! *squeals and stares at the shinies for another hour*

[kemis]

Duh! I forgot to link you to the short summary of chapter 42 someone posted on the lj com.

[branchandroot]

Oh my yes; Shirogane gets /much/ more expressive for his counterpart. And I love how Akira gradually seems to be showing more of Ryuuko without losing himself (my way wins!).

[kemis]

So far the only people aside from Homurabi Shirogane has been non-indifferent to are Akira and Kou (even if I think that's mostly due to Kou being a natural at pushing buttons and pissing people off).

Also, do you by any chance remember in which chapter there was that image of Shirogane as a king? *can't find it at the moment* I badly need the reference to check something about the new chapter.

[branchandroot]

Not off hand, though I think it's in volume Three.

[kemis]

*checks*

...HA, I KNEW IT! In the glimpse we get of Shirogane crying in chapter 42, on page 16, see the fingers stroking Shirogane's cheek and leaving a blood trail? They're Ryuuko's - I just checked, and Shirogane doesn't wear gloves in his king attire.

*squees a bit longer in fangirly glee*


Btw, if you checked the summary and saw the poster recommending the manga Pandora Hearts, I wholeheartedly second the rec. It's one of the yummiest series I've ever read, and the anime is kicking as much as as the manga so far.

[arashi-neko.livejournal.com]

*hearts* it really is a lovely chapter. Shirogane's expressions are also very very lovely. It is quite amusing, considering who doesn't get the polite face from him, and instead gets his actual emotions. And for all his early protests about how much trust Shirogane wasn't extending to him, Akira certainly trusts him to let him make his own judgment calls now. Even if those judgments run contrary to Shirogane's own opinion, heh.

[branchandroot]

It really is! I'm liking how subtly Akira and Shirogane's relationship is progressing toward increased trust and, I think, increased equality--almost without either of them seeming to notice.

[ravelqueen.livejournal.com]

I have to say, I had to automatically think of you after reading this weeks KHR chapter, cause of that one thing you wrote about how KHR is a normal and typical shonen series, but has such interesting moments of breaking the mold (as for example them not actually winning the ring-battle etc^^), so when they lost the choice thing, I thought this is the same thing again ;)

But I always assumed that choice is like a best out of three thing...?

vizairds, so cool! I'm so happy they finally arrived! I mean it took them like 30 freaking chapters....Now only Ichigo hast to come and things will be perfect...ly dramatic^^

Where do you get your raws for Monochrome factor from? I had assumed that the scanlations are at the same speed as the raws, but now I find out its not true and I really would like to read it...I may even be convinced to write up a rough (emphasis on rough...I normally get the gist of it, but I wouldn't consider myself on par with the lovely people doing the scanlations) translation for you, if you are interested^^

[arashi-neko.livejournal.com]

there's no japanese raws on the net, but there are chinese scan/translations; those are the ones she's referring to. I think the english scanlators work off the chinese scans.

[branchandroot]

I have a link to the Monochrome raws on this entry: http://branchandroot.dreamwidth.org/914803.html and elsevita has been doing some translations as we go along. Have at!

*wry* Yeah, I like the way Amano turns some things inside out, and it's a good way to make me want to know what's going to happen?